Reflector for a christmas tree or the like



Oct. 5, 1965 P. E. FUCHS 3,210,535

REFLECTOR FOR A CHRISTMAS TREE OR THE LIKE Original Filed Oct. 18, 1956 FIG.3

INVENTOR. PAUL. E. FUCHS AT TY.

United States Patent 3,210,535 REFLECTOR FOR A CHRISTMAS TREE OR THE LIKE Paul E. Fuchs, 626 N. Sheridan Ave., Colorado Springs, Colo. Continuation of application Ser. No. 616,788, Oct. 18, 1956. This application Jan. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 253,021 2 Claims. (Cl. 240-) This application is a continuation of my application Serial No. 616,788 filed October 18, 1956.

This invention relates to a reflector designed particularly for use in a Christmas-tree ornament.

The reflector is composed essentially of a wire spiraled concentrically with an electric light bulb, with its smaller end located between the bulb and its socket. The spiral is generally conical in outline and about the height of the bulb, but may be shorter or taller. The bulb may be colored or colorless. If colored, colored light is reflected; if the bulb is uncolored the reflector reflects uncolored light from the spiral. The spiral may be colored and in that event, colored light will be reflected from an uncolored bulb.

In the preferred reflector, the smallest spiral is gradually flattened from the over-all conical outline of the wire so that when fitted over the base of a bulb which is then screwed into its socket, the spiral will be held concentric with the axis of the bulb. In flattening the spiral, instead of the end of the wire continuing on its spiral course, it is brought about two-thirds or three-quarters of the distance from this continued course toward the last turn of the wire closest to it. Usually the entire circumference of the inner turn of the wire is not flattened into a plane perpendicular to the axis of the wire, but it merely approaches this so that when it is placed about the bulb and the bulb is then screwed into its socket, about the last turn of the wire which is of a size to fit snugly around the bulb, will be compressed somewhat, and further flattened, and thus brought substantially into a plane perpendicular to the axis of the bulb so that the spiral and the bulb are substantially concentric.

Also, in the preferred reflector, the last turn of the spiral gradually narrows toward the adjacent turn and substantially overlaps it at its end, so that on looking into the spiral along its axis, the largest turn blends with the next adjacent turn so as to give the general over-all etfect of concentric circles. Also the last turn is preferably flattened and brought substantially into contact with the adjacent turn so that the over-all appearance is that of a cone.

The reflector is made of a spring-metal wire on a spring winder. For the smaller reflectors steel is entirely satisfactory. For the larger reflectors anodized aluminum or some other lightweight material is preferred. Copper will give a copper-colored reflection even with a colorless bulb. The Wire may be enameled to produce different color efiects.

The invention is further illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the reflector assembled with the bulb and socket;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged detail of a side view of the smaller end of the reflector; and

FIGURE 3 is a view taken axially through the large end of the reflector.

In FIGURE 1 the Christmas-tree bulb 1 is fastened in the socket 2 in the usual manner, and the reflector 3 is held against the bottom of the bulb and concentric with the bulb by the socket. Wire connections are shown. The socket will ordinarily be provided with a clip (not shown) although this is not essential.

3,210,535 Patented Oct. 5, 1965 If there is any possibility that the socket is not well insulated at the base of the bulb, a fireproof washer 4 may be used to prevent the small end of the reflector from making electrical contact with any conducting portion of the socket. The washer may be flat or conical. Instead of using a washer the inner end of the reflector may be provided with an insulating coating. Insulation of any type is optional.

Although the wire may be bent into the form of a true cone, a preferred type is shown in which the outer end 5 of the spiral is flattened and brought adjacent the next inner turn, to give a flat base effect (FIGURE 1). Without flattening the outer turn, its diameter may be reduced so that it overlaps the next adjacent turn 6 when viewed axially (FIGURE 3). This tends to create the illusion of separate concentric circles, rather than a spiral.

The inner turn of the spiral is preferably of such a size that it fits snugly around the lower, inwardly tapering portion of the bulb, and against the socket with sufficient compression of the spiral to hold it quite rigidly in position with its axis concentric with the axis of the bulb. The spiral is most easily held in this position if the inner turn 7 is flattened somewhat, as best shown in FIGURE 2, so that when compressed between the bulb and socket it lies flat against the end of the socket in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the bulb and socket.

The diameter of the outer turn of the reflector illustrated is substantially five times the diameter of the inside turn. It may be less, for example only twice as large, or it may be as much as six or eight times as large. This will depend upon the size and brightness of the bulb, etc. The outer turn should be sufliciently near the bulb to give a good reflection.

The construction is preferably such that the reflected light is the same color as that of the bulb, although not as intense. The reflector then produces a desirable halo efi'ect around the bulb. The reflector shines with the same intensity when viewed from the back as it does from the front, and at no time is the bulb obscured, as is necessary with many of the Christmas-tree reflectors now on the market.

Under subdued light, the radiance of the reflected light causes the illuminated wire to glow in thickness and resemble a neon tube. Unlighted, the spiral still supplies a modern and decorative effect to the tree ensemble.

Although more particularly designed for use in a Christmas-tree ornament, the reflector may be used elsewhere, as in outdoor advertising, etc. Although the preferred method of assembly of the reflector with a bulb and socket is illustrated, other means may be employed and may, in fact, be desirable with larger bulbs and heavier reflectors such as may be used in outdoor advertising.

The invention is covered in the claims which follow.

What I claim is:

1. A Christmas-tree ornament comprising an incandescent lamp bulb, a socket in which the bulb is fastened, and an open-ended generally conically spiraled brightsurfaced wire with its inner end embracing the lower part of the bulb and flattened somewhat from a true cone so that the innermost turn lies largely in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the coil, and compressed against the socket whereby the spiraled wire is held concentric with the bulb, with the outer end of the spiraled wire being bent gradually toward and substantially touching the next inner turn of the spiral, with the spiral of smallest diameter at its inner end and the spiral of largest diameter at substantially the outer end of the wire and at least as far from the socket as the most remote portion of the bulb.

3 2 The combination of claim 1 in which the inner 1,732,364 end of the spiraled Wire is insulated from the socket. 1,745,212

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 1,085,750 2/14 McMichael 240102.1 1,500,548 7/24 Clement 240102 Jacobson 240103 Fox 24010 Benander 240-93 X Sinutko 240-10 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CHRISTMAS-TREE ORNAMENT COMPRISING AN INCANDESCENT LAMP BULB, A SOCKET IN WHICH THE BULB IS FASTENED, AND AN OPEN-ENDED GENERALLY CONICALLY SPIRALED BRIGHTSURFACED WIRE WITH ITS INNER END EMBRACING THE LOWER PART OF THE BULB AND FLATTENED SOMEWHAT FROM A TRUE CONE SO THAT THE INNERMOST TURN LIES LARGELY IN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF THE COIL, AND COMPRESSED AGAINST THE SOCKET WHEREBY THE SPIRALED WIRE IS HELD CONCENTRIC WITH THE BULB, WITH THE OUTER END OF THE SPIRALED WIRE BEING BENT GRADUALLY TOWARD AND SUBSTANTIALLY TOUCHING THE NEXT INNER TURN OF THE PIRAL, WITH THE SPIRAL OF SMALLEST DIAMETER AT ITS INNER END AND THE SPIRAL OF LARGEST DIAMETER AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE OUTER END OF THE WIRE AND AT LEAST AS FAR FROM THE SOCKET AS THE MOST REMOTE PORTION OF THE BULB. 